ToplineMost European countries are failing to prioritize patients with severe mental illnesses in their Covid-19 vaccination drives despite evidence showing that these patients are among the most vulnerable to the disease, often more so than those with physical ailments, a group of experts and mental health organizations warned Wednesday. The researchers, alongside prominent European mental health organizations, called on national health and science bodies to make sure those with mental illnesses are prioritized in vaccination campaigns, additionally calling on the European Union to set bloc-wide standards on the matter. What To Watch ForThe evidence linking severe psychiatric illness to Covid-19 is mounting and, as the experts note, any evidence-based vaccination policy ought to be accounting for it. With growing pressure from clinicians and patient groups alongside mounting scientific evidence, countries could change their strategies to account for this group in the future. Further ReadingSevere mental illness and European COVID-19 vaccination strategies (Lancet)Mentally ill 'ignored' in most European COVID vaccine plans - experts (Reuters)One In Five Covid-19 Patients Diagnosed With A Mental Illness Within Three Months Of Testing Positive, Study Finds (Forbes)COVID’s mental-health toll: how scientists are tracking a surge in depression (Nature)Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus

Source: Forbes February 18, 2021 12:00 UTC